Two Pianos Four Hands at Centaur Pitch Perfect
Go get tickets for this show for your whole family right away. Piano lessons never were this much fun. You get to eavesdrop on the lives of classical piano kids who make even “Chopsticks” funny. As you laugh through their excuses for not practicing and learn with them the difference between major versus minor chords or watch them suffer through the competitions, you hardly realize that you are listening to a classical music concert (along with everything from the Mr. Dressup theme to the Beatles) – and enjoying every minute of it.
When Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt wrote this play in 1994, they thought it would appeal to a small group of classical piano nerds. They could never have imagined that they would play the show together for 17 years in over 4,000 performances, in 150 cities, 200 theatres (off Broadway, the Kennedy Centre in Washington, DC, London’s West End) on five continents, making this one of Canada’s most successful plays ever.
In this new run, Reza Jacobs (Ted) and Bryce Kulak (Richard) play 20 diverse characters with humor, and play on two huge Yamaha pianos with expertise, creating a fabulous two person dynamic. It’s difficult to find actors with these talents, but the ones who take on the roles absolutely adore them, because it is the story of their lives, and they play their hearts out and love it.
Pianos are the stars here too. Yamaha has always worked with this show, and since the space permits it in this theater, we get to hear the sound of these extra large grand pianos. They receive constant care, are tuned three times a week and must not only be in tune but must also be in tune with each other.
The show brings out the dilemma of what to do in life with all that training. Anyone with a musical gift or any other kind of gift must face the music if they are not going to ever become the next Glenn Gould or reach the dreams they might have had.
Location: Centaur Theatre, 453 St-François-Xavier
corner: Notre-Dame
Tel: 514-288-3161
Dates: until May 25
www.centaurtheatre.com
www.2pianos4hands.com